Story Challenge: Haunting Arkham
by Writer's Obsession
Summary: A story challenge for those interested in writing it: There's a boy in Arkham. Just a child -he can't be older than sixteen. He's a wee thing. Skinny and not all that tall. So then why does the other prisoners avoid him? What is it about this child that scares the insane, murders, rapists, and terrorists alike? Why is this boy in Arkham of all places? Batman intends to find out.


**Plot:**

There's a boy in cell 47. Just a scrawny child about sixteen years old, with shocking white hair, startling neon-toxic green hues, and skin as pale as death and covered with scars on every surface. People often whisper and wonder about him, inmates, security and doctors alike. His name is said to be Danny, no one knows his last name, but the only ones that call him that is his personal doctors. To others, he's known as 'Phantom' or simply 'The Boy.' The boy had a surprising reaction when people first dubbed him 'Phantom' -an odd mixture of panic and rage- but he had soon calmed down after getting an explanation as to _why_.

'Phantom' fit him quite well, after all. Even if you ignore his physical appearance, he also shares characteristics of a ghost. No one has ever heard the boy utter a sound, not even a yelp of surprise, a grunt or a sigh. On another note, he's sickly respectful of the _good_ and _non-crooked_ authority figures, while down right hostile to the other inmates. All of the other prisoners only ever get are icy glares, and man, does that pip squeak have one killer glare.

"He gives Batsy a run for his money!" Joker had one time crackled when questioned. "Never thought anyone could compete with the famous Bat Glare, haha!"

In addition to never making a peep, you can never hear the boy approaching. Not the scuf of shoes on floor, the rustle of clothing, or even the sixth sense people have for sensing others nearby. Some say he doesn't even breath. Often times it's too easy to forget that the boy is here.

No one's completely sure exactly when he appeared, either. Some are convinced that he's new, while others swear that he's been here for years. But there's one thing that everyone can agree on -the boy is _dangerous._ Sure, he may be no taller than 5'9, underweight and certainly puny-looking with zero muscles in sight, but he's also in _Arkham._ What did a _sixteen_ year old boy _do_ to get sentenced to this _utter hell?_ No one will deny that the boy has serious issues and he definitely isn't on the sane side of things -if the number of daily pills he takes has any say- but why isn't he with child services or something? And if that isn't enough to convince people, the numerous restraints _are._

Restraints are devices that are used for the super strong and powerful, which are placed on the neck, wrists, biceps, legs, or ankles depending on the prisoner. They are meant to take away -or at the very least weaken- the prisoners' strength or powers. Killer Croc needs restraints on his neck, biceps, legs, and even his thick tail.

The boy needs one on all places available.

Some used to whisper how it's absolutely ridiculous, the boy hardly causes any trouble after all. He just keeps to himself. (Mainly the doctors and security.) But the inmates know better. (Or, at least, the smart ones do.) The staff aren't the ones that are subjected to his spine-chilling glares, don't see the way that his lifeless eyes will flash a poisonous red, the way that the temperature will suddenly drop fifty degrees around him when he's bothered, or the predatory vibes that make even the hard core and grown ass criminals piss their pants.

One day, when Batman is returning an escapee, he sees the boy. Batman is understandably shocked. He immediately takes it up with the person in charge, _demanding_ to know why a _child_ is rotting in Arkham. The limited amount of information regarding the boy is highly unsatisfactory, so Batman takes it upon himself to uncover the mystery that is Phantom.

Some days, Batman wishes he never did.

 **Rules:**

 **1.** Danny _can not_ speak, or make any vocal noise. His vocal cords are either damaged far beyond the ability to repair, or are no longer in his body. This is because the risk of Danny using his Ghostly Wail is much too dangerous.

 **2.** Danny can't change into his human half. If he does, he'll instantly become a _full_ ghost. This is because for a period of time, Danny went for so long without water that he'll immediately die of dehydration if he turns back.

 **3.** On his fifteen birthday, Danny is captured by Ghost Hunters/scientists. He is heart-breakingly and cruelly studied, experimented, tortured, abused, and tested on for a full year before he is transferred to Arkham. The group of hunters/scientists don't have to be the Guys In White.

 **4.** Some point in Danny's imprisonment, a rescue is planned and executed by Danny's friends. They fail. Horribly.

 **5.** Danny _wants_ to be in Arkham. He knows/believes he's too damaged and dangerous to be out. So whenever there's a breakout; he never leaves. Although nore does he tries to stop the others from escaping.

 **5.5.** Danny is mentally unstable. He has _a lot_ of issues. Exactly what those issues are is up to you.

 **6.** Rules five and five n' a half does not stop you from making Batman help Danny. If you want _,_ Batman can help heal Danny as much as possible (although things will _never_ be close to being normal/perfect) and get Danny released from Arkham the legal way. But Danny must _originally_ believe whole heartily that he belongs in Arkham.

 **Suggestions:**

 ***** Have the story end in tragedy. Make Batman uncover the Great Big Mystery of what happened to Danny and what he did, but in the end Danny doesn't want to leave Arkham. And maybe Batman agrees that it's the best choice for Danny.

 ***** Have one of the Robins visit Danny often.

 ***** Have Danny completely destroy the hunters/scientists and the organization that they had, so that is the reason why Danny got put in Arkham.

 ***** Some story titles, aside from _Haunting Arkham_ , are: _The Phantom in Cell 47, Whispers In The Halls, Toxic Green Eyes Bleeding Crimson, The Bump In The Night, Not All Monsters Are Paranormal, Worst Things Than Death, The Boy With Dead Eyes, Overkill, One Foot In The Grave, Life's Curse Without Death's Gift,_ and _Just A Phantom._

 ** _Please review or message me if you're interested in accepting this challenge._**


End file.
